Quick Healthy Lunch

Serves 1

Time from start till finish: 5 minutes

I was hungry and didn’t have any bread for a sandwich.
So, a rummaged in my fridge and freezer
and this was the result of my finds.

Ingredients:

½ Onion, chopped finely

1 Tomato, chopped not too finely

100g lardons

100g leftover chicken, cut into cubes

100g frozen mixed vegetables.

1 tsp olive oil

15-30g butter

Salt, pepper and whatever other herbs you want or none.

Method:

1. Heat the butter and the oil in wok (or frying pan).
2. Add the onions and lardons, and fry until the onions are translucent.
3. Then add the frozen vegetables, stir, cover and leave for 1-2 minutes.
4. While the vegetables thaw and cook, chop the tomato and chicken meat.
5. Then add this to the wok, stir and add your herbs.
6. Cover and let simmer for 2-3 minutes.
7. Serve and enjoy.

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Easy Fried/Stir-Fried Potatoes

This is a quick way to make fried potatoes from scratch, if you are in a hurry and don’t want to wait for your potatoes to be cooked.
This is a two-in-one recipe for fried potatoes.

2-5 potatoes
1tsp olive oil
25-50g butter (depending on how many potatoes are used)
Salt & Pepper to taste

Pan-Fry: Slice the potatoes into thin slices using a mandolin

Stir-Fry: Cut the potatoes into cubes using a mandolin.

• While slicing/cutting bring a saucepan of water and a little salt to boil.
• Add the sliced/cut potatoes to the boiling water and cook for about 2-3 minutes, drain and dry with a kitchen towel.

Pan-Fry:

1. Heat oil and butter in a frying pan
2. Add the potatoes and fry. Turn occasionally until potatoes are browned and slightly crunchy.
3. If wanted you can also add some sliced onions to the frying pan.
4. Serve as a Side-dish to your dinner or lunch, sprinkled with parsley and/or chives.

Stir-Fry:

1. Heat oil and butter in a wok.
2. Add the potatoes to the wok. Stir occasionally.
3. Add whatever else is needed for the stir-fry.
4. And serve.

Courgette and Pecorino Fritters.

Serves 3-4       preparation time 15 minutes       baking time 20-22 minutes
Turn your bumper courgette crop into satisfying snacks, delicious hot and/or cold.

.

• 250g courgette; shredded
• 1 large egg
• 70-100g grated pecorino (an Italian cheese made from ewes’ milk)
• 100g Panko (or 80g polenta for gluten free)
• 1 clove garlic (crushed with press)
• ½ tsp pepper
• 2 tbsp olive oil, for greasing the baking sheet

1. Toss courgette and salt together in a large colander and place in sink to drain for 10 minutes. Then Squeeze to drain even further.
2. Mix pecorino, panko, crushed garlic, the egg and pepper in a large bowl; and stir in the drained shredded courgette.
3. Scoop a table spoon of ‘dough’ and drop onto a large greased baking sheet, roughly shaping each into a log.
4. Bake in a 200°C oven for 20-22 minutes, turning halfway through.

• Dipping Sauce:
  • Stir chopped chives and basil into sour cream.

Tomato, Onion and Orange Salad

Preparation time 10 minutes

I wanted to make a different salad and had seen other people using oranges in salads with avocado. I didn’t have an avocado, so here is my version of a salad using oranges.

• 2-3 ripe tomatoes, cut in thinnish ring slices
• 1 Onion, cut in thin slices
• 2-3 mandarins, cut in thinnish ring slices
• 1 tbls olive oil
• ½ tbls rice vinegar
• Salt and Pepper
• Fresh Parsley and/or Chives, chopped

1. Cut the tomatoes and mandarins as thin as possible into rings.
2. Use a mandolin to very finely slice the onion.
3. Place the tomato, onion and mandarin slices on a plate alternating them.
4. Sprinkle a little salt and pepper on all the salad.
5. Then drizzle the olive oil and vinegar over the ring.
6. Cover with cling film and keep at room temperature until served.
7. Sprinkle with the chopped parsley and/or fresh chives.

 

Homemade Potato Wedges

I need something more for a dinner party and didn’t want to have just boiled potatoes, I thought of wedges and checked my freezer if I happen to have some frozen wedges; but alas I didn’t. Now that the thought was implanted in my head I looked around on the net and found that making and cooking wedges wasn’t that difficult; so here is what I did.

Prep time max 5 minutes	unattended cooking (baking) time 35 minutes
	Serves 2-4

• 2-3 potatoes per person, I used new small potatoes
• 1 tsp each of Salt, Pepper, Onion-salt, Garlic-salt, fresh Thyme … and whatever you fancy like: ginger paprika, curry …
• 1-2 tbsp olive oil (or sunflower/rape seed)

1. Pre-heat oven to 200ºC. Line a baking tray with foil (saves washing up).
2. Cut the potatoes in half; then cut 3 wedges from each half. Place the wedges I a bow full of cold water for about 5 minutes.
3. Put the oil in a small plastic bag; Drain and dry the wedges and place them in the bag. Close the bag with a peg so that it doesn’t leak. Then shake the bag making sure all the wedges are coated in oil.
4. Place all your herbs in another plastic bag; and move the wedges into this bag; again close the bag and shake. Once all your herbs are used tip the wedges out into your baking tray, spread evenly and place in oven.
5. Bake for 35 minutes – and that’s it. Serve and enjoy.